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Basque separatist group ETA 'to disarm by April 8'

Activist with ties to Basque community says separatist group ETA will officially hand in its weapons by April 8.

18 Mar 2017 06:02 GMT

ETA announced a definitive cessation of armed activity in 2011 but kept its weapons [File: Vincent West/Reuters]

Basque separatist group ETA will fully disarm by April 8, a French environmental activist with ties to the Basque community promised on Friday.

The group announced a permanent ceasefire in 2011, but the governments of Spain and France have so far refused to take part in its disarmament because ETA tied it to the future of its members, both in and out of jail.

The two countries have demanded that ETA lay down its weapons without conditions and disband.

Txetx Etcheverry, a prominent figure in the French Basque community who tried to arrange a disarmament in 2016, told AP news agency that the new initiative was agreed upon with the ETA and will be carried out whether French authorities agree to receive the weapons or not.

"If the French government doesn't take responsibility, the Basque civil society will take a step forward. We can't imagine five more years of inaction," Etcheverry said, pledging that "ETA will be disarmed by midnight on April 8."